The present invention relates to rigid-rod heterocyclic polymers.
Rigid-rod poly(benzobisazole) (PBX) polymers are well-known for their superior mechanical properties and high-temperature capability which are better than the state-of-the-art Aramids (e.g. Kevlar). The PBZ group includes poly(benzobisthiazole) (PBZT), poly(benzobisoxazole) (PBO) and poly(benzobisimidazole) (PBI) polymers and copolymers. These polymers and copolymers have been heralded as the next-generation structural materials.
It is known that isotropic and biaxially oriented PBZT films can be rendered electrically conductive via .sup.84 Kr.sup.+ ion implantation. Conductivity as high as 100 S/cm for biaxially oriented film has been achieved. It is also known that PBZT film can be reduced electrochemically to a conductivity of about 20.+-.10 S/cm. This is in accord with the fact that PBZ is known to be a .pi.-deficient aromatic system as evidenced by both chemical and spectroscopic studies. Certain derivitized PBZT polymers have also exhibited .chi..sup.(3) non-linear optical (NLO) properties and ionic conductivity.
It is also known that PBZT polymer and copolymer films activated with iodine have exhibited increased conductivity. Tan et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,277, issued May 28, 1996, disclose benzobisazole copolymers containing triarylamino moieties which can be doped with iodine to provide increased conductivity. Tan et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,613, issued Jul. 9, 1996, disclose benzobisazole polymers containing triarylamino moieties which can be doped with iodine to provide increased conductivity. Tan et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,337, issued May 27, 1997, disclose benzobisazole polymers and copolymers containing diphenylamino moieties which can be doped with iodine to provide increased conductivity.
It is an object of the present invention to provide novel rigid-rod heterocyclic polymers.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an at least semiconductive polymer film.
Other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed disclosure of the invention.